Governor Rick Snyder and Representative Sheldon Neeley celebrate the signing of the water legislation at Grace Emmanuel Church in Flint.Photo Credit: Executive Office of Gov. Rick Snyder

Governor Rick Snyder signed a bipartisan bill Friday that will require public water supply systems to tell customers about elevated lead levels. The law would require notification within three days of discovering lead levels are above the federal action level. Notification is already required – but the three-day rule is new. Governor Rick Snyder said the bill is an important first step.Continue reading →

Governor Rick Snyder is letting Michigan drivers go a little faster. Snyder signed a package of bills Thursday that will, among other things, raise the speed limit on certain roads to 75-miles per hour.Continue reading →

A one point nine million dollar repair project to update and repair Charlevoix’s drawbridge is scheduled to being the day after Christmas. And the disruption to traffic will be substantial. The city is planning a public meeting to talk to residents.

More Michigan mothers are smoking while pregnant. A new report from the Michigan League for Public Policy shows between 2008 and 2014 the rate of expectant mothers smoking increased by 18 percent in Michigan.Continue reading →

Robert McDonald is the lead scientist for the Nature Conservancy, which conducted the survey. He said there are two issues the study focuses on.

“One is how trees cool the air and they do that by shading pavement, and asphalt preventing it from getting the sun’s energy. And then the reports focuses on particulate matter, which globally the most damaging type of air pollution. So when we burn gasoline and other fossil fuels there are little particles that float around in the air.”

McDonald said particulate matter pollution contributes to strokes, heart attacks, asthma and other diseases. It kills some three million people a year. He said trees help by serving as a giant filter, and cool surrounding areas by up to four degrees.